October 20, 1992
It is Sunday afternoon and the stores are packed with back-to-school shoppers. Suddenly a young man races through the mall with another fellow in angry pursuit, each yelling loudly at the other. When they pass us, the second is saying to the first, “You are dead meat, man. I will get you... you are dead, for sure.”
Other shoppers are uncomfortable. Some laugh. My husband says someone should call the security guards. Moments later, a dozen youth and two guards move quickly in the same direction as the first two. They all talk at once. We hear one of them say, “He yanked out a knife.” A few minutes after that, we see an R.C.M.P. officer hurrying in the same direction.
No, this was not in Hong Kong or even New York but in a small city in southern British Colombia, in broad daylight, with hundreds of witnesses. We wondered what drove this young person to make such a threat, endangering not only his intended victim but his own freedom. Why do so many people resort to violence when no one really wins anyway?
Sociologists and psychologists have a myriad of answers: inadequate education, deteriorating family values, peer pressure, poverty, television and so on, yet with all their wisdom, young lives continue to slip through the cracks into the streets where the only laws are written by the survivors.
Historically, violence began right after Adam and Eve were put out of Eden. Cain killed his brother Abel in cold blood and violence began to permeate society. The Bible paints the same bloody picture of humanity out to destroy humanity by acts of aggression and brutality as does our daily news; however, the Bible gives a different reason violence exists. According to the Word of God, brutality is evidence of sin in the human heart, and sin is an attitude of rebellion against God.
I can relate. There have been a few expressions of savagery in my life. While I didn’t pull a knife on someone, I have thrown things, including a punch or two. Reflecting on my anger at people, I realize I was actually angry with God at the time; I didn’t like the things He was allowing to happen in my life, so I lashed out in retaliation. Instead of trusting His choices for me and His power to make things right, I was going to force my own way.
The Word of God (and the bitter consequences of my anger) have taught me that God hates violence. Psalms 11:5 says, “The LORD tests the righteous, but the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates.”
He also has been known to severely judge violence: “God said to Noah, ‘The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; I will destroy them with the earth’” (Gen.6:13). He did just what He said by sending a catastrophic flood that drowned those who were in rebellion against Him. Sometimes God allows brutal people to self-destruct, destroyed by their own ferocity: “The violence of the wicked will destroy them because they refuse to do justice” (Proverbs 21:7).
God offers a model of non-violence though, even for those who have every reason to retaliate. His Son Jesus was innocent of any sin, yet was hated and treated brutally. Instead of breathing out threats, He “entrusted Himself to the Father who judges righteously” and “He did no violence...”
Jesus’ submission to His abusers meant death for Him but through His death, we are offered forgiveness and a new heart, including those who resort to personal retaliation as the only answer to injustice. Jesus gives grace and peace to the angry, protection and hope to the victims.
God promised His people that someday, “Violence shall no longer be heard in your land, neither wasting nor destruction within your borders; but you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise” — all because of Jesus.
Friday, October 16, 2015
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
God’s love is not the same as ours ................ Parables 339
October 13, 1992
A letter to the editor of a small publication claimed that homosexuality was not offensive to God. The writer reasoned that God would not “condemn anyone who committed themselves to a loving, life-long relationship.”
To some, this sounds good. After all, the Bible says we are to love one another. First John even says: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God” and “No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.”
The letter writer even alluded to these verses in her defense of homosexuality. She reasoned that since the parties involved “loved” each other, they could claim God’s abiding presence and that their relationship was of Him. What she did not do was read the rest of 1 John. Why was John making these statements and what kind of arguments was he refuting when he challenged the level of love in his readers?
Attacks against the teachings of the Apostles were common in the first Century. That comes as no surprise since Christ Himself was misunderstood and attacked, even eventually crucified for what He taught. People did not like hearing a message that condemned their previously held ideas about God and how to approach Him. When John wrote his letters, he also had to counter false teaching. Some were saying true spirituality was not in any way related to material things. That is, God was too pure to inhabit a human body thus Christ was not God in the flesh. They also taught that people either did not sin at all ever, or if any did sin, it was only the physical part of them that sinned and their spiritual being remained unstained and pure.
Furthermore, these false teachers at first infiltrated the church but they eventually left. Because they did not agree with the true gospel (that man is sinful and Jesus was the Christ, come in the flesh to die for their sin, and give them His righteousness), they did not care for Christians, even hated them, so did not want to be around them.
First John is a rebuke to both this false teaching and lack of love. John affirms that a true teacher from God can be identified by correct doctrine about Christ, by a moral life that hates sin and does not habitually continue to sin, and by love for other Christians. This love is characterized by self-sacrifice (just as God’s love is sacrificial), by a desire for the other person’s eternal and present well-being, and by a freedom from fear of God’s judgment.
Put in context, this love that demonstrates that a person is “of God” is not referring to the relationship between a man and a woman, never mind same-sex relationships. It is referring to a love for Christians, and even beyond that, a love for righteousness and for the only One who is truly righteous, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is not condoning relationships that the Bible elsewhere condemns.
It is sad that people dismiss the Bible as having any authority over their morals. It is not God or the Gospel that is harmed but they themselves. The wages of immorality is grief, guilt, and eventual eternal loss.
It is an even greater grief that some will rewrite God’s definitions of holiness and of godly love so they can use it (or should I say mis-use it) to support immorality. Those who advocate such contradictions bring destruction not only to themselves but to others who are gullible enough or uninformed enough to believe what they say.
A letter to the editor of a small publication claimed that homosexuality was not offensive to God. The writer reasoned that God would not “condemn anyone who committed themselves to a loving, life-long relationship.”
To some, this sounds good. After all, the Bible says we are to love one another. First John even says: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God” and “No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.”
The letter writer even alluded to these verses in her defense of homosexuality. She reasoned that since the parties involved “loved” each other, they could claim God’s abiding presence and that their relationship was of Him. What she did not do was read the rest of 1 John. Why was John making these statements and what kind of arguments was he refuting when he challenged the level of love in his readers?
Attacks against the teachings of the Apostles were common in the first Century. That comes as no surprise since Christ Himself was misunderstood and attacked, even eventually crucified for what He taught. People did not like hearing a message that condemned their previously held ideas about God and how to approach Him. When John wrote his letters, he also had to counter false teaching. Some were saying true spirituality was not in any way related to material things. That is, God was too pure to inhabit a human body thus Christ was not God in the flesh. They also taught that people either did not sin at all ever, or if any did sin, it was only the physical part of them that sinned and their spiritual being remained unstained and pure.
Furthermore, these false teachers at first infiltrated the church but they eventually left. Because they did not agree with the true gospel (that man is sinful and Jesus was the Christ, come in the flesh to die for their sin, and give them His righteousness), they did not care for Christians, even hated them, so did not want to be around them.
First John is a rebuke to both this false teaching and lack of love. John affirms that a true teacher from God can be identified by correct doctrine about Christ, by a moral life that hates sin and does not habitually continue to sin, and by love for other Christians. This love is characterized by self-sacrifice (just as God’s love is sacrificial), by a desire for the other person’s eternal and present well-being, and by a freedom from fear of God’s judgment.
Put in context, this love that demonstrates that a person is “of God” is not referring to the relationship between a man and a woman, never mind same-sex relationships. It is referring to a love for Christians, and even beyond that, a love for righteousness and for the only One who is truly righteous, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is not condoning relationships that the Bible elsewhere condemns.
It is sad that people dismiss the Bible as having any authority over their morals. It is not God or the Gospel that is harmed but they themselves. The wages of immorality is grief, guilt, and eventual eternal loss.
It is an even greater grief that some will rewrite God’s definitions of holiness and of godly love so they can use it (or should I say mis-use it) to support immorality. Those who advocate such contradictions bring destruction not only to themselves but to others who are gullible enough or uninformed enough to believe what they say.
Monday, October 12, 2015
Security assured ................ Parables 338
October 6, 1992
“When I was a young boy, my dad gave me a silver dollar. He told me to keep it because if I did, I would never be broke.”
Smart dad. While the value of a dollar has diminished, the fact of having something in one’s pocket during tough times is comforting. There is a story about an orphanage where each child was given a crust of bread at night. None of them ate the crust though. Instead, it went under their pillow where it gave them a sense of security against hunger for the next day.
These small things illustrates how God’s present blessings are tokens of assurance for the future. His spiritual versions of “a silver dollar” ensure we will never be spiritual impoverished. His spiritual “crusts of bread” are deposits to give us assurance about a great coming feast we will share with Him someday in heaven.
While not every promise in the Bible is guaranteed in the life of every believer all the time, here are some universal “tokens” in the Christian experience.
PEACE WITH GOD: Jesus Christ secured our forgiveness to the extent that those who believe in Him for eternal life are “no longer condemned.” While this is a reality that is not visible, it is made real by faith since faith is “the evidence of things not seen.” This peace is a token of what one aspect of eternity will be like — a great and deep peace with our Creator and Judge.
PRESENCE OF GOD: God does not promise that life here will be always rosy and trouble-free, but He does promise to be with those who truth Christ. Even though we sometimes fail to sense His presence, our feelings do not change the reality. When we do sense Him near, we often yearn for the fullness of seeing Him someday face to face. This is a wonderful token of a future blessing.
INDWELLING OF HIS SPIRIT: The presence of God is related to the Third Person in the Godhead, the Holy Spirit who lives within Christians. He enables us to “partake in His divine nature” so we have all that is needed to believe and obey Him. This is so important that the Bible says, “Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His” (Romans 8:9).
In Ephesians, the Holy Spirit is also called “the guarantee of our inheritance” until the redemption of our bodies. He has saved us and given us Himself as a “deposit” or down payment which is assurance that the full transaction will be made later on. In the meantime, we are able to enjoy the ministry of the Spirit as He teaches, comforts, assures, enables, and equips us to serve God.
ACCESS TO THE THRONE OF GOD: Jesus, as the High Priest who intercedes for us, also opens our access to God. Sinful creatures cannot approach the Holy One but His blood covers our sin and we can “therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). While God has the wisdom and prerogative to deny our selfish and foolish requests, He still hears what we say and considers our needs. He knows whether we need money, more food, a new job, a friend, to get married, to stay single, or good weather. Every thing that we pray about is heard, evaluated, and answered according to His will and His wisdom — because He loves us and is attentive to us.
EVERLASTING LOVE: No one is able to consistently meet the love-needs of another person, no one except God. His love is unconditional and eternal. He has demonstrated it in sending Christ to die for us.
Paul exclaims, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” These are the tokens — imagine the yet-to-come heavenly inheritance!
“When I was a young boy, my dad gave me a silver dollar. He told me to keep it because if I did, I would never be broke.”
Smart dad. While the value of a dollar has diminished, the fact of having something in one’s pocket during tough times is comforting. There is a story about an orphanage where each child was given a crust of bread at night. None of them ate the crust though. Instead, it went under their pillow where it gave them a sense of security against hunger for the next day.
These small things illustrates how God’s present blessings are tokens of assurance for the future. His spiritual versions of “a silver dollar” ensure we will never be spiritual impoverished. His spiritual “crusts of bread” are deposits to give us assurance about a great coming feast we will share with Him someday in heaven.
While not every promise in the Bible is guaranteed in the life of every believer all the time, here are some universal “tokens” in the Christian experience.
PEACE WITH GOD: Jesus Christ secured our forgiveness to the extent that those who believe in Him for eternal life are “no longer condemned.” While this is a reality that is not visible, it is made real by faith since faith is “the evidence of things not seen.” This peace is a token of what one aspect of eternity will be like — a great and deep peace with our Creator and Judge.
PRESENCE OF GOD: God does not promise that life here will be always rosy and trouble-free, but He does promise to be with those who truth Christ. Even though we sometimes fail to sense His presence, our feelings do not change the reality. When we do sense Him near, we often yearn for the fullness of seeing Him someday face to face. This is a wonderful token of a future blessing.
INDWELLING OF HIS SPIRIT: The presence of God is related to the Third Person in the Godhead, the Holy Spirit who lives within Christians. He enables us to “partake in His divine nature” so we have all that is needed to believe and obey Him. This is so important that the Bible says, “Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His” (Romans 8:9).
In Ephesians, the Holy Spirit is also called “the guarantee of our inheritance” until the redemption of our bodies. He has saved us and given us Himself as a “deposit” or down payment which is assurance that the full transaction will be made later on. In the meantime, we are able to enjoy the ministry of the Spirit as He teaches, comforts, assures, enables, and equips us to serve God.
ACCESS TO THE THRONE OF GOD: Jesus, as the High Priest who intercedes for us, also opens our access to God. Sinful creatures cannot approach the Holy One but His blood covers our sin and we can “therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). While God has the wisdom and prerogative to deny our selfish and foolish requests, He still hears what we say and considers our needs. He knows whether we need money, more food, a new job, a friend, to get married, to stay single, or good weather. Every thing that we pray about is heard, evaluated, and answered according to His will and His wisdom — because He loves us and is attentive to us.
EVERLASTING LOVE: No one is able to consistently meet the love-needs of another person, no one except God. His love is unconditional and eternal. He has demonstrated it in sending Christ to die for us.
Paul exclaims, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” These are the tokens — imagine the yet-to-come heavenly inheritance!
Friday, October 9, 2015
Planning a Move? ................ Parables 337
September 29, 1992
Keeping our minds focused on the task at hand is not easy these days. Both my husband and I find our thoughts racing from our responsibilities here in Saskatchewan to our move back to Alberta, then to a possible future location overseas beyond that, then to who knows where, before moving into our final residence — our heavenly home. We realize those anticipated moves require thought, careful planning, and considerable perspiration.
The more immediate future involves paring down and sorting out; we have too much stuff. Besides that chore, we are making preparations to be more mobile in the future by building a condominium in Alberta — mostly by telephone, fax machine and the occasional trip up to make sure all is going as hoped. So we are in the unique position of sending our desires ahead of us, anticipating they will be fulfilled when we arrive!
It is the same with the more distant future — which also involves paring down and sorting out. For instance, what good are 110 volt appliances in a country that uses 220? And what about my beloved library? Air freight on books is expensive! Besides that, we have no idea what we will live in... bigger, smaller or what — horrors — it may not have bookshelves! However, we are sending prayers on ahead, anticipating our needs fulfilled when we arrive.
As with most plans, we do realized these may or may not happen but one certainty is the last move mentioned, that final relocation into our heavenly home. Again, there are some definite similarities. For one thing, we have too much stuff here — not one bit of it will go with us. So we are learning not to hold on to possessions too tightly. Jesus says, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
So again we sort and toss, trying to decide which earthly treasures are mere heavenly junk and which may be useful in the short span of life to add “property value” to that heavenly inheritance. Can this book be used to teach another about Christ? Can that piece of clothing better serve someone whose closet is not as stuffed? Tossing it all is wasteful. Keeping it all may be faithless hoarding. God, we pray, help us be good stewards.
Jesus’ words constantly remind us that even the here-and-now goals of Christian living do not have much to do with building a new home or the accumulation of things. Material treasures can rot, be moth-eaten, or stolen. Worse yet, whenever we set our minds on them, our energies are not available to think His thoughts and do His will, which is the real treasure. So God, help us to recognize and toss other junk such as sinful behavior, ungodly attitudes, greedy self-serving, pride in what we have and selfish desire for what we do not have and, for the most part, do not need either.
Obviously, for this final move we are not using a telephone or a fax machine but prayer to our “Builder” for His help in all decisions. Keeping the lines open also involve continual consideration of Jesus words in Luke 12: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Since we are actually citizens of a heavenly country (and only ambassadors here), we need to make sure our hearts are not too wrapped up in either this home, the next one, or the next one.
It is also interesting how plans for a new home in Alberta have helped focus our lives here in Saskatchewan... and plans for a move even farther after that put the new home in perspective... but preparing for life in heaven keeps all of life here from getting out of hand. In the meantime, we just keep paring down and tossing junk until the moving van comes.
Keeping our minds focused on the task at hand is not easy these days. Both my husband and I find our thoughts racing from our responsibilities here in Saskatchewan to our move back to Alberta, then to a possible future location overseas beyond that, then to who knows where, before moving into our final residence — our heavenly home. We realize those anticipated moves require thought, careful planning, and considerable perspiration.
The more immediate future involves paring down and sorting out; we have too much stuff. Besides that chore, we are making preparations to be more mobile in the future by building a condominium in Alberta — mostly by telephone, fax machine and the occasional trip up to make sure all is going as hoped. So we are in the unique position of sending our desires ahead of us, anticipating they will be fulfilled when we arrive!
It is the same with the more distant future — which also involves paring down and sorting out. For instance, what good are 110 volt appliances in a country that uses 220? And what about my beloved library? Air freight on books is expensive! Besides that, we have no idea what we will live in... bigger, smaller or what — horrors — it may not have bookshelves! However, we are sending prayers on ahead, anticipating our needs fulfilled when we arrive.
As with most plans, we do realized these may or may not happen but one certainty is the last move mentioned, that final relocation into our heavenly home. Again, there are some definite similarities. For one thing, we have too much stuff here — not one bit of it will go with us. So we are learning not to hold on to possessions too tightly. Jesus says, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
So again we sort and toss, trying to decide which earthly treasures are mere heavenly junk and which may be useful in the short span of life to add “property value” to that heavenly inheritance. Can this book be used to teach another about Christ? Can that piece of clothing better serve someone whose closet is not as stuffed? Tossing it all is wasteful. Keeping it all may be faithless hoarding. God, we pray, help us be good stewards.
Jesus’ words constantly remind us that even the here-and-now goals of Christian living do not have much to do with building a new home or the accumulation of things. Material treasures can rot, be moth-eaten, or stolen. Worse yet, whenever we set our minds on them, our energies are not available to think His thoughts and do His will, which is the real treasure. So God, help us to recognize and toss other junk such as sinful behavior, ungodly attitudes, greedy self-serving, pride in what we have and selfish desire for what we do not have and, for the most part, do not need either.
Obviously, for this final move we are not using a telephone or a fax machine but prayer to our “Builder” for His help in all decisions. Keeping the lines open also involve continual consideration of Jesus words in Luke 12: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Since we are actually citizens of a heavenly country (and only ambassadors here), we need to make sure our hearts are not too wrapped up in either this home, the next one, or the next one.
It is also interesting how plans for a new home in Alberta have helped focus our lives here in Saskatchewan... and plans for a move even farther after that put the new home in perspective... but preparing for life in heaven keeps all of life here from getting out of hand. In the meantime, we just keep paring down and tossing junk until the moving van comes.
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
The Reasons for Praise ................ Parables 336
September 22, 1992
People who easily praise other people or who easily praise God sometimes make me feel uncomfortable. Are they real? Or am I to proud to give anyone else any glory for what they do, God or human beings?
I notice how much easier it is to be picky and critical. I can easily complain and wish other people (and God) did things more to my liking, even while hiding behind a pious self-evaluation that my “standards are higher” and everyone else is sloughing off. (Dare I admit that I might think that of God?) Why should praise be so important anyway?
After being hard on myself (another way to focus on me instead of God), I checked out some biblical reasons why God should be praised. They fall into three categories: His character is worthy of praise; His deeds are worthy of praise; and praise itself is good for the person who offers it.
The psalmist says: “Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You” (Psalms 63:3). Lovingkindness is only one attribute of God. His holiness, power, creativity, goodness, faithfulness, righteousness, sovereignty, wisdom, and mercy are more reasons we should praise Him.
The psalmist also says: “I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works” (Psalms 9:1). God has created all things. He has met the needs of those who seek Him, cared for the humble of heart and protected His people. He has performed miracles, disclosed Himself through His written Word and through the incarnation of His Son. He keeps His promises and is faithful even when we are not. These are more reasons for praise.
Praise is sometimes difficult to offer because we don’t feel like it and circumstances don’t seem to warrant it. In these cases, the Bible rightly calls praise a “sacrifice.” Yet even in the sacrifice, praise benefits us. The Bible says praise brings a sense of His presence and beautifies those who offer it. (The fact that God asks us to do something that will bring Him honor yet uses that obedience to our profit is another reason to praise Him!) God encourages praise because it is so right. Think of it, what could God allow praise for other than Himself? That would be suggesting He could deny His own character and even the fact that He alone is worthy of praise. His nature and deeds are far above anything we are and do. Furthermore, praise takes our eyes off ourselves and our often miserable circumstances and puts them on the Lord. He raises our sights, purifies our goals, and gives us His own incomparable beauty to behold.
The Psalmist says: “Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful” and “Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful” (Psalms 33:1, Psalms 147:1). Praise gives us pleasure because we are creating something God calls beautiful; no wonder we experience His joy when we “create” it.
Praise is not only an antidote to human pride but conquers depression and grumbling. When we turn our eyes on God and thoughtfully consider His character as He has revealed Himself, we marvel. While we cannot fully comprehend all that He is, we do know He is majestic and utterly awesome.
When we study what He has done, not the deeds people sometimes credit to Him but the deeds He Himself affirms in His Word as His, we also marvel. Only God could form the heavens and speak the worlds into existence. Only God could give sight to the blind and raise the dead. Only God could deliver us from the sins that so easily entangle us and promise us an eternal home.
When we exercise faith and obediently offer praise, we discover praise is indeed beautiful, simply because it has to be — the One to whom it is directed is the epitome of beauty. So today, let’s just praise the Lord!
People who easily praise other people or who easily praise God sometimes make me feel uncomfortable. Are they real? Or am I to proud to give anyone else any glory for what they do, God or human beings?
I notice how much easier it is to be picky and critical. I can easily complain and wish other people (and God) did things more to my liking, even while hiding behind a pious self-evaluation that my “standards are higher” and everyone else is sloughing off. (Dare I admit that I might think that of God?) Why should praise be so important anyway?
After being hard on myself (another way to focus on me instead of God), I checked out some biblical reasons why God should be praised. They fall into three categories: His character is worthy of praise; His deeds are worthy of praise; and praise itself is good for the person who offers it.
The psalmist says: “Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You” (Psalms 63:3). Lovingkindness is only one attribute of God. His holiness, power, creativity, goodness, faithfulness, righteousness, sovereignty, wisdom, and mercy are more reasons we should praise Him.
The psalmist also says: “I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works” (Psalms 9:1). God has created all things. He has met the needs of those who seek Him, cared for the humble of heart and protected His people. He has performed miracles, disclosed Himself through His written Word and through the incarnation of His Son. He keeps His promises and is faithful even when we are not. These are more reasons for praise.
Praise is sometimes difficult to offer because we don’t feel like it and circumstances don’t seem to warrant it. In these cases, the Bible rightly calls praise a “sacrifice.” Yet even in the sacrifice, praise benefits us. The Bible says praise brings a sense of His presence and beautifies those who offer it. (The fact that God asks us to do something that will bring Him honor yet uses that obedience to our profit is another reason to praise Him!) God encourages praise because it is so right. Think of it, what could God allow praise for other than Himself? That would be suggesting He could deny His own character and even the fact that He alone is worthy of praise. His nature and deeds are far above anything we are and do. Furthermore, praise takes our eyes off ourselves and our often miserable circumstances and puts them on the Lord. He raises our sights, purifies our goals, and gives us His own incomparable beauty to behold.
The Psalmist says: “Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful” and “Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful” (Psalms 33:1, Psalms 147:1). Praise gives us pleasure because we are creating something God calls beautiful; no wonder we experience His joy when we “create” it.
Praise is not only an antidote to human pride but conquers depression and grumbling. When we turn our eyes on God and thoughtfully consider His character as He has revealed Himself, we marvel. While we cannot fully comprehend all that He is, we do know He is majestic and utterly awesome.
When we study what He has done, not the deeds people sometimes credit to Him but the deeds He Himself affirms in His Word as His, we also marvel. Only God could form the heavens and speak the worlds into existence. Only God could give sight to the blind and raise the dead. Only God could deliver us from the sins that so easily entangle us and promise us an eternal home.
When we exercise faith and obediently offer praise, we discover praise is indeed beautiful, simply because it has to be — the One to whom it is directed is the epitome of beauty. So today, let’s just praise the Lord!
Monday, October 5, 2015
The Purpose of Life ................ Parables 335
September 15, 1992
The question comes to me at the oddest moments. Sometimes I am in the grocery store with my cart nearly full. Other times I am at a wedding, or in a classroom. Sometimes I hear it when my husband and I are planning a trip or playing golf. The question has frightened me, even left me baffled, but most of the time it makes me stop and consider the answer, even adjust my life if it seems necessary. The question? — Why am I here?
Apparently people in the middle of life are not the only ones who hear the question. Younger people wonder why they exist. Many of them consider only a few options, such as an “eat, drink and be merry” philosophy. Or they defer the question — they are only young once — and try to forget it. Others look for answers through achievements in political or social endeavors and try to become the best in their field or make a name for themselves so they somehow leave a mark on humanity. Yet still the question haunts them.
And it haunts me too, not that I am without an answer nor do I doubt my answer is the best option. For me though, it seems that the question serves more than one purpose. It first challenged me to find meaning for life, now it prods me to base life on what I have discovered.
Becoming convinced of God’s purpose for my life has not been painless or quick. Like Solomon explains in the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes, it is only after trying almost everything else that I am now convinced that all human answers to this question are dismal at best. Should I live for pleasure, money, popularity, awards, my work or human recognition, I would find none of these settling down in the heart for very long — they are not the best answers.
Of course such aspirations are not without value and I would be lying if I said it does not feel good to have fun, make money, gain friends or reach the top of list now and then. It is just that my life, focused on those things, leaves me feeling empty and the question remains without an answer.
Purpose for living is expressed several ways in the Bible. Solomon gives one: “The conclusion of the whole matter is to fear God and keep His commandments, this is the whole duty of man.” In this case, fear does not mean terror but reverence for God. Because of that awe, we ought to obey Him. Micah explains life’s purpose this way: “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” The satisfaction everyone wants from life cannot be found apart doing what God requires. According to Micah, honorable living accompanied by a benevolent attitude towards others and an honest recognition of our position before God is beneficial to us.
Some seem to think if we do what God wants we will not be happy, but God is not against us being happy. In fact, I am convinced that He is not against us being wealthy or popular or successful either. The Psalmist even prays, “May He grant you according to your heart’s desire and fulfil all your purpose” (20:4). Because we tend to put our human wants first, before pleasing God, we miss the fullness of what He wants for us.
Don’t misunderstand; I do not subscribe to a “God wants you rich” theology. God wants us to experience His riches and if worldly wealth will stand in the way of that, He does us a favor if He makes money hard to come by or dissatisfying when we do have it. As our Maker, He knows our true purpose and what will make us truly happy — both are found in Him and in doing what He created us to do.
So now the question serves as a reminder to ask myself often if I still fear God and still obey Him — because that is the reason why I am here.
The question comes to me at the oddest moments. Sometimes I am in the grocery store with my cart nearly full. Other times I am at a wedding, or in a classroom. Sometimes I hear it when my husband and I are planning a trip or playing golf. The question has frightened me, even left me baffled, but most of the time it makes me stop and consider the answer, even adjust my life if it seems necessary. The question? — Why am I here?
Apparently people in the middle of life are not the only ones who hear the question. Younger people wonder why they exist. Many of them consider only a few options, such as an “eat, drink and be merry” philosophy. Or they defer the question — they are only young once — and try to forget it. Others look for answers through achievements in political or social endeavors and try to become the best in their field or make a name for themselves so they somehow leave a mark on humanity. Yet still the question haunts them.
And it haunts me too, not that I am without an answer nor do I doubt my answer is the best option. For me though, it seems that the question serves more than one purpose. It first challenged me to find meaning for life, now it prods me to base life on what I have discovered.
Becoming convinced of God’s purpose for my life has not been painless or quick. Like Solomon explains in the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes, it is only after trying almost everything else that I am now convinced that all human answers to this question are dismal at best. Should I live for pleasure, money, popularity, awards, my work or human recognition, I would find none of these settling down in the heart for very long — they are not the best answers.
Of course such aspirations are not without value and I would be lying if I said it does not feel good to have fun, make money, gain friends or reach the top of list now and then. It is just that my life, focused on those things, leaves me feeling empty and the question remains without an answer.
Purpose for living is expressed several ways in the Bible. Solomon gives one: “The conclusion of the whole matter is to fear God and keep His commandments, this is the whole duty of man.” In this case, fear does not mean terror but reverence for God. Because of that awe, we ought to obey Him. Micah explains life’s purpose this way: “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” The satisfaction everyone wants from life cannot be found apart doing what God requires. According to Micah, honorable living accompanied by a benevolent attitude towards others and an honest recognition of our position before God is beneficial to us.
Some seem to think if we do what God wants we will not be happy, but God is not against us being happy. In fact, I am convinced that He is not against us being wealthy or popular or successful either. The Psalmist even prays, “May He grant you according to your heart’s desire and fulfil all your purpose” (20:4). Because we tend to put our human wants first, before pleasing God, we miss the fullness of what He wants for us.
Don’t misunderstand; I do not subscribe to a “God wants you rich” theology. God wants us to experience His riches and if worldly wealth will stand in the way of that, He does us a favor if He makes money hard to come by or dissatisfying when we do have it. As our Maker, He knows our true purpose and what will make us truly happy — both are found in Him and in doing what He created us to do.
So now the question serves as a reminder to ask myself often if I still fear God and still obey Him — because that is the reason why I am here.
Friday, October 2, 2015
God knows who I am ................ Parables 334
September 8, 1992
Art was slightly red-faced when he told about a customer who entered his place of business. It was a young man with a red moustache and beard, someone he did not recognize. It was only after asking how he could help him that Art realized it was his own son! The boy had worked in the forestry industry for the summer and returned with unexpected changes to his appearance. Art said, “At least this proves I’m not infallible!”
Most of us cannot imagine being unable to recognize our children but it could happen. Sometimes, if all we ever see them wear is jeans and sneakers, putting on a suit or a grad gown could be enough to do it, or a costume and make-up for a drama play. And if they began acting differently than their usual selves, it would add to the disguise. If they are young, fooling us would be a funny game. Art’s older son maybe wanted to play a trick on dad, but I doubt he would have enjoyed the joke if dad never caught on.
Art later pointed out that God cannot be fooled — He always knows His kids, in spite of the fact that some have been known to wear disguises as if they didn’t want other people to know they are Christians. As for those who pretend to belong to His family but really do not, God also sees through their cover-up.
First, God’s true children sometimes do wear disguises such as when we fall into sin and can get so covered with “mud” we appear on the outside like any other sinner. That disguise may fool other people but God knows what is under the mess. He exhorts us to “put off, concerning our former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts” and calls us to “be renewed in the spirit of our mind” and “put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” In other words, take off the disguises and demonstrate who we really are.
Another form of cover-up goes on when we fear ridicule or persecution. Again, we pretend we fit in this world, maybe hang around sinners, not completely falling into their behavior but not being particularly godly either. Abraham’s nephew, Lot, was one of these. He lived in Sodom and while he did not participate in their sins, neither did he confront what they were doing or get out of their company. Fortunately God knows “those who are His” and sent two angels to drag Lot out before raining fire and brimstone in judgment on those who lived so wickedly in his home town.
Those who observe the outer “costume” or behavior of Christians-in-disguise are justified in calling us imposters and hypocrites. Even though God knows who are His children, He also warns against such hypocrisy and disguises. We must demonstrate what we are, not cover it up.
Of course God considers the worst disguise that of those who pretend to be Christians and are not. Even though He can see right through their pretense, so many people cannot and are therefore deceived and led astray. Outwardly these pretenders say the right words and even do all kinds of religious deeds but inwardly they are “ravenous wolves” who have no care for the family of God. They have selfish motives for feigning godliness.
One day God will strip away all disguises. Those who have battled with sin will find that the “solid foundation of God stands — having this seal: The Lord knows those who are His.” But those who have posed as righteous without depending on the righteousness of Christ will hear Him say, “Depart from me... I never knew you.”
Art knows a change in appearance did not change the identity of his son. In the same way, no matter what kind of false face people might wear, it does not change the inner person. And because God knows who are His, no one who fakes it will be able to wear a disguise forever.
Art was slightly red-faced when he told about a customer who entered his place of business. It was a young man with a red moustache and beard, someone he did not recognize. It was only after asking how he could help him that Art realized it was his own son! The boy had worked in the forestry industry for the summer and returned with unexpected changes to his appearance. Art said, “At least this proves I’m not infallible!”
Most of us cannot imagine being unable to recognize our children but it could happen. Sometimes, if all we ever see them wear is jeans and sneakers, putting on a suit or a grad gown could be enough to do it, or a costume and make-up for a drama play. And if they began acting differently than their usual selves, it would add to the disguise. If they are young, fooling us would be a funny game. Art’s older son maybe wanted to play a trick on dad, but I doubt he would have enjoyed the joke if dad never caught on.
Art later pointed out that God cannot be fooled — He always knows His kids, in spite of the fact that some have been known to wear disguises as if they didn’t want other people to know they are Christians. As for those who pretend to belong to His family but really do not, God also sees through their cover-up.
First, God’s true children sometimes do wear disguises such as when we fall into sin and can get so covered with “mud” we appear on the outside like any other sinner. That disguise may fool other people but God knows what is under the mess. He exhorts us to “put off, concerning our former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts” and calls us to “be renewed in the spirit of our mind” and “put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” In other words, take off the disguises and demonstrate who we really are.
Another form of cover-up goes on when we fear ridicule or persecution. Again, we pretend we fit in this world, maybe hang around sinners, not completely falling into their behavior but not being particularly godly either. Abraham’s nephew, Lot, was one of these. He lived in Sodom and while he did not participate in their sins, neither did he confront what they were doing or get out of their company. Fortunately God knows “those who are His” and sent two angels to drag Lot out before raining fire and brimstone in judgment on those who lived so wickedly in his home town.
Those who observe the outer “costume” or behavior of Christians-in-disguise are justified in calling us imposters and hypocrites. Even though God knows who are His children, He also warns against such hypocrisy and disguises. We must demonstrate what we are, not cover it up.
Of course God considers the worst disguise that of those who pretend to be Christians and are not. Even though He can see right through their pretense, so many people cannot and are therefore deceived and led astray. Outwardly these pretenders say the right words and even do all kinds of religious deeds but inwardly they are “ravenous wolves” who have no care for the family of God. They have selfish motives for feigning godliness.
One day God will strip away all disguises. Those who have battled with sin will find that the “solid foundation of God stands — having this seal: The Lord knows those who are His.” But those who have posed as righteous without depending on the righteousness of Christ will hear Him say, “Depart from me... I never knew you.”
Art knows a change in appearance did not change the identity of his son. In the same way, no matter what kind of false face people might wear, it does not change the inner person. And because God knows who are His, no one who fakes it will be able to wear a disguise forever.
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